Hi BB25,I got a Pflueger beginners kit with a 5/6 rod, reel, backing, floating line, and leader included as well as a few fresh water flies. i have found this combo to be terrific, I have used it to learn to cast, and can now cast to an acceptable level, I haven't caught anything on it yet, but that is more my fault than the rod's. I use it in the salt as well as the fresh, but bought a different reel for the salt, so I can have the floating line on the fresh reel, and a sinking line on the salt reel (reels are cheap, I got mine for $19.90 at Fisherman's Paradise and it is a beautygood luck ma